Network Automation and Orchestration

Analysys Mason's Network Automation and Orchestration programme provides insights into the evolution of the network from physical infrastructure elements managed by network and element management systems (NMS/EMS) to a hybrid physical–virtual, software-controlled, more-automated and self-managed, adaptive network. Such a network is orchestrated and controlled by SDN (software-defined networking) and NFV (network functions virtualisation) principles.

This programme addresses the competitive and strategic challenges of network automation and orchestration that are presented by the transition from physical to virtual networks. In addition, our research provides critical insights into the prospects for established and emerging network management, automation and orchestration products and related professional services.

Next-generation network management: tracking and quantifying the evolution of EMS/NMS to support a more multi- vendor, autonomous, adaptive network. How might that evolution overlap with or complement SDN and network orchestration efforts and VIM?

Open networking and disaggregation: tracking the move away from purpose-built, monolithic network elements to more-open, disaggregated centrally controlled, white box and other components.

5G x-haul network requirements: new capacity, topology and architecture requirements for 5G evolution, such as those compelled by cloud-RAN and mobile-access edge computing (MEC), and how these requirements will affect fronthaul, midhaul and backhaul networks.

This data set tracks NFV/SDN and NMS/EMS vendor solutions for network automation and orchestration and describes how far these solutions extend toward providing a full digital network and operations platform (DNOP). It therefore notes related solutions that these vendors provide for NFVI, service orchestration, service assurance, professional services and analytics, and whether the vendors have a partner ecosystem.

The existing mobile transport network will no longer be able to meet traffic and cost demands in the 5G era. In this report, we examine the considerations for mobile operators upgrading their networks and integrating fronthaul and backhaul into an x-haul topology and architecture.

The complexity associated with onboarding VNFs today is a major disincentive to NFV adoption as it negates one of NFV's promised benefits: agility. Emerging industry standards and solutions are addressing this challenge but need to urgently align to accelerate NFV adoption.

Our research highlights a core set of strategic goals and benefits that are driving telecoms operators to adopt SD-WAN. This comment provides an overview of how SD-WAN is augmenting operators' existing assets to enable them to offer new enterprise services and improve operational efficiency.

The scale of the network automation challenge is vast and will require significant industry co-operation to achieve. Individual operators have much to learn from each other but need to start plotting their own unique journeys now, without waiting for vendors to provide 'perfect' SDN-led solutions and roadmaps.